Midnight Talks
by Pride of Ergastulum
Summary: Emma and Worick finally find something they have in common apart from Nicolas. The two talk and develop a deeper understanding of one another. When Emma drags up the past how much is Worick willing to reveal?


The black-haired youth, dripping in blood, raised the fragment of the sword to his neck, Worick felt something tying him down as he tried to reach out to the boy, "WAIT!"

Worick bolted upright in bed covered in sweat, "Damn dreams," he sat for a few minutes regaining control of his ragged breathing. Covering his throbbing left eye with his hand, he braced himself against the doorframe 'I could really use a beer,' however he was unwilling to go down to the fridge knowing that no matter what he did Nicolas would probably wake up. He pushed the flyaway hairs out of his eyes before entering the living room, Worick wasn't sure what he was planning to do now, maybe just to stand at the window while he calmed down.

A gentle humming reached his ears, it sounded like a lullaby, closing his eyes for a few seconds he let the sweet melody wash over him, chasing away the last vestiges of the memories that plagued him at night. "Ally?" he called out softly, the voluptuous girl he had brought into the house was usually the source of good music in the apartment, scanning the living room he saw her dark hair peeking out from under the blankets on the couch, he let out a sigh of relief he'd often find her sitting alone in the dark after one of her nightmares but the Doc's medicine seemed to be doing the trick for her TB withdrawals. Satisfied that she was sleeping soundly, his gaze turned towards the other occupied couch in the Handymen's office, blankets were discarded at the end of the empty couch but the pillow was missing. Sighing he walked around the side of the sofa, the girl sat with her knees hugged to her chest, she looked up at the moon through the window, still humming her little song.

Worick smirked to himself, he crept up behind her intending to give her a fright. Sensing the presence behind her Emma reacted instinctively smacking away the hand that was reaching out to her, her fist barely stopped an inch in front of Worick's nose, a wicked grin spread across his face seeing her startled expression. "Want to sit outside for a while?" Emma stared at him warily, it wasn't like him to ask her to spend time together, seeing her expression he added, "no funny business, I promise."

Sighing heavily, she nodded, "You might want some more clothes though," Emma averted her eyes self-consciously, Worick was still only wearing his boxers, even his trademark eye patch was missing. 'I guess I could see what women see in him, it's not as if he's ugly,' his laid-back demeanour, boyish looks and toned body made him popular with women, particularly women who could afford his services, moving away to grab a hoodie Emma glanced back at the blond man focussing on the star burst scar over his left eye. She hadn't seen him without the eye patch before, the scar gave him a much older, rugged look, a reminder of how dangerous he was.

"You can take a picture if you want, it'll last longer," Worick whispered, flashing her a grin, she stuck her tongue out at him then quickly looked away zipping up her hoodie. Pulling on a shirt he flicked out his hair from beneath the collar and led the way out of the apartment, sitting on the bottom step he patted the pocket of his shirt searching for a smoke, he groaned realising they were all upstairs.

Emma let out a laugh, "Those things will kill you eventually, besides they don't do anyone around you any good either," the smell of tobacco was infused into the apartment it was nice to breathe in the untainted air, but she knew if she complained about how much it bothered her then Worick would just mock her. Unconsciously she pulled at the hem of her shorts to cover more of her legs, "No one really gets a good night's sleep in that apartment do they?"

"Well Nicolas does as long as no one gets within eight feet of him," Worick chuckled, tilting his head towards her, he studied her profile, "nightmares, huh?"

The girl shrugged resting her chin on her hand, "You too?" Lost in thought, Emma wondered if she should ask Worick about the newspaper she'd seen in the library, it seemed almost an unspoken law in Ergastulum to not ask someone about their past but she couldn't help herself. Biting the bullet, she asked, "Is that newspaper article about you and Nic? The Arcangelo family murder and the missing youngest son and his mercenary bodyguard. I saw it at the library."

Worick's eyes widened in surprised before a smirk came over his face, he had suspected that Alex knew but for the kid to ask him outright was something he hadn't predicted, "So which one of us do you think did it?" his voice dropped a little as it took on a more dangerous tone.

Straightening up Emma turned to look him in the eye, "I've no doubt that Nic is the one who actually killed them, even I'm not that naive, but what I'm not sure of is if you asked him to do it or not. I don't believe that he'd suddenly do something like that for no reason."

"Wow aren't you thinking to highly of a Twilight like him?" Worick stared her down but the girl wouldn't look away, his scarred eye ached as he looked at her, fighting to keep the memories of that night back in the recesses of his mind, sighing he finally broke eye contact with her. "It was that long ago I can't remember," he murmured closing his eye as he lay back on the steps.

"You remember everything Worick," she replied, "I won't ask any more about it, but I don't believe that Nic does things for no reason. He'll do what he has to for a job but I think if he doesn't agree with something he won't do it apart from that he wouldn't go around killing people for the sake of it, and he would protect Nina or you or Alex without question no matter what it took."

He laughed at her answer, but inside his thoughts were completely serious, 'It's only been a short while but she basically has Nic figured out, he's a really straight forward guy at heart.' Worick sat up slowly then leaned closer to the girl placing on arm on the wall behind her, he tilted her chin towards him forcing her to look him in the eye, "You trust him a lot, don't you? I can prove how trustworthy I am to you."

Their faces were so close together they almost touched, Worick's hot breath hitting her face even his breath smelled of smoke, his piercing blue eye gazing at her alluringly, "Drop the act Worick we both know you don't even have the slightest interest in me. I can never tell what you're really thinking or what motivates you, that's why I can't trust you that much, but Nic does so you can't be all that bad."

He backed off smiling to himself, "I guess I should've expected that kind of answer off of someone as cautious as you, but you're pretty mysterious yourself turning up out of nowhere, being that good with a sword, you aren't exactly forthcoming either, not exactly normal."

Emma shrugged refusing to let him unsettle her, "Says the guy with hyperthymesia," she stood up, once again pulling down her shorts slightly to cover more of her legs before climbing the stairs, "There was a war not too long ago involving my country that's why I can use a sword so well, you step up when you have to." Emma didn't look back to see his reaction, there was no point when she wouldn't be able to tell if it was what he really thought, having chased away her earlier dream and being more than a little cold she gratefully entered the apartment slipping back underneath her blanket.

"So that's how it is," Worick mused to himself looking up at the crescent moon, "guess this might turn out to be a bit more interesting than I thought." He sat outside drinking in the night air for once able to be truly alone with his thoughts, 'Maybe it is better that they all died, meant I could make a clean break from that life. Well almost I still have Nicolas, for better or worse.'


End file.
